The Roadmap Progresses the EU Gender Equality Agenda - Essay Example

1 IN RELATION TO ONE PARTICULAR COUNTRY, CRITICALLY ASSESS THE CLAIM THAT THE ROADMAP PROGRESSES THE EU GENDER EQUALITY AGENDA Introduction When the European Union or EU was established in 1993 by the Treaty of Maastricht, the 27 member states were unified by the common desire to improve each other's economy and political standing globally (European Union 2008). By coming up with a single market that guarantees freedom of movement of people, capital, goods and services, the member-States hope that they will enjoy unprecedented economic success via a unified trading system. By creating a system of "supranationalism and intergovernmentalism" and by establishing the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council, the members expect EU to be a strong political force to reckon with. EU would be a phalanx of invincible fortress that the rest of the world cannot toy with or penetrate for destructive reasons. But soon EU has realised the need also to improve the quality of lives among the constituents of the European Union. On May 1, 1999, the Amsterdam Treaty was enforced and that signaled EU's predilection to give importance to the rights of individuals as well as to render them justice, individual security and freedom. Suddenly EU felt it is its role to be at the vanguard for the protection of their human rights as well as to eliminate discrimination against them by reason of race, color, sex, religion and age (Eur-Lex 2008). Signing the European Convention on Human Rights then became a condition for membership to the EU and all member States must accede to the provisions of the Charter of Fundamental Rights which became enforceable when the Lisbon Treaty was formally signed on December 13, 2007 2 (Europa 2007). As an offshoot of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, the Roadmap For The Equality Between Men and Women was adopted by EU on March 1, 2006, which aim is to promote gender equality throughout the European Union. This Roadmap for Equality Between Men and Women must be fleshed out because equality between men and women is specifically provided for in the 1993 Treaty of Maastricht which established the European Community. This treaty provision must be enforced so as to give life to the Charter and thus make it a powerful document that rules the lives of the EU constituents and not merely inserted there for the heck of it or to serve as decoration to add words to the volume of the provisions of the Treaty (The Treaty of Maastricht 1993). Article 2 specifically provides "The community shall have as its task..to promote throughout the community..equality between men and women. Article 3 section 2 further provided, "In all the activities referred to in this article, the community shall aim to eliminate inequalities, and to promote equality, between men and women". Article 141 is more specific with its provisions as it exhorts "equal pay for male and female workers for equal work or work of equal value". It also defined the meaning of the provision"equal pay without discrimination based on sex". That it is imperative that the Roadmap must be established is clearly specified in article 141 section 3, whereby it stipulates that "the Council acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in article 251..shall adopt measures to ensure the application of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation, including the principle of equal pay for equal work over work of equal value". Article 141 3 section 4 is even more definitive as it commands all members of the community to maintain or adopt "measures providing for specific advantages in order to make it easier for the underrepresented sex to pursue a vocational activity or to prevent or compensate for disadvantages in professional careers". Article 13, meanwhile, accords the council the power to inhibit, stop and penalise all acts discriminatory to the undertrepresented sex. In other words, sexual discrimination has no place in the European community and thus an utter anathema. To ensure that the provisions of the Maastricht Treaty be enforced to the letter and be efficacious, the Roadmap for Equality between Men and Women and the European Institute for Gender Equality were established. Both "represent the European Commission's commitment to driving the gender equality agenda forward" (Europa 2007). European Institute for Gender Equality The European Institute for Gender Equality was established on December 20, 2006 in response to the provision of Regulation number 1922 of the European Parliament and of the European Council of 20 December 2006 which felt compelled to establish the Institute in response to the Treaty of Maastricht's articles 13(2), 141(3), 251 and because of the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee as well as a request from the June 2004 European Council. Based in Vilnius, Lithuania and funded by the Commission to the tune of 52.5 million euros for the period 2007-2013, the Institute formally opened operations last January 19, 2008. Its objectives include the buttressing of EU institutions and the individual member States so that these can promote equality between men and women and can combat sexual discrimination. It 4 is thus a reinforcing agency. Other purposes are the gathering and the analysing of information regarding gender equality so that policy-makers can have the necessary information and data that they may use to come up with effective steps and solutions to the dilemma at hand. To do this, the Institute is provided with a library cum documentation centre which happens to be available to interested parties. Another objective is the development of methodological tools in support to gender mainstreaming. Gender mainstreaming is defined by the Council of Europe as the "organisation, improvement, development and evaluation of policy processes, so that a gender equality perspective is incorporated in all policies at all levels and at all stages, by the actors normally involved in policy-making" (Council of Europe). Another important objective is to raise among citizens of EU awareness of gender equality. With the Institute firmly in place in Lithuania and now operational since January 2008, it is hoped by EU that the Institute "will play a vital role in providing the expertise needed to develop equality policies across the European Union" (Scadplus 2007). And the Institute has rightly handpicked experts in the field who can provide expert technical assistance to the community institutions and to the member States, by appointing 6 knowledgeable members of the EU Commission, 6 sagacious members of the European Parliament and the rest coming from from civil society's workers and employers' sectors to all add up to 18 members. These are expected to do their jobs with sterling efficiency, which jobs include the establishment and coordination of gender equality network in all European member-States with concentration in 5 countries wherein gender equality is not yet treated as a fundamental right. They are also expected to promote dialogues by marshaling ad hoc meetings of experts, and encouraging discussions and inclusion of gender perspectives in university lessons, research centre work and in other social fields. The Roadmap For Equality Between Men and Women The female sex had gone a long way since the age of the Patriarchs where daughters were treated as chattels and pawns by their fathers and where they were given away in marriage in exchange for jewelry, cattle and some other property as in the case of Leah and Rachel who were given away by Laban to Jacob in exchange of 14 years of hard labor (Genesis 24:42) or Rebekah who was given away in marriage to Isaac in exchange for gold, silver and other gifts (Genesis 29: 16-28). During the Age of Royalty, women were selected to become a part of the King's harem to bear his children and serve him at his every beck and call. Today, we now have women boxers and wrestlers, astronauts, army soldiers and officers and even presidents and prime ministers. But still the scale of balance is still in favor of men. Patriarchy has left a deep imprint on the destiny of women that it is extremely difficult to keep them at par with men as to economic, political, financial and educational opportunities. Women's success is still minuscule compared to male domination in all aspects of society. Patriarchy which is "the social situation where men are dominant over women in wealth status and in all other aspects" (Drislane and Parkinson) still rules. Women still have to take the blame from men in so many things. Even rape victims are blamed why they are raped in the first place. 6 Women are pointed to as the cause for the imminent collapse of the Anglican Church in England. Even Bill Clinton, Dan Quayle and The National Board Review were quoted as saying that women have caused poverty in the world (Pollitt 2001). Walby claims that there is a "structured bias in male dominated institutions which exclude women. There is also a gender bias in candidate selection for job positions (Walby 1988, p.156).Women are still stereotyped in careers they must choose. Walby herself identified 6 areas where women are still exploited and discriminated against i.e. "sexuality; the household; male-on-female violence; paid employment; cultural institutions and the State" (Walby 1988). The EU is keenly aware that opportunities and advantages are heavily tilted in favor of the male species and against womanhood. It is true that women had made great strides in the field of education, politics, business and other areas. However inequalities still exist and thus progress is hindered and EU is aware that unless this part of the human race's potential to drive forward the EU economy by dint of their talent, intelligence and resources are exhausted to the full, EU cannot fulfill its aims of achieving full growth and progress. Women are still trapped by gender stereotyping, by having to make choices between career and care of family and by this unfair inequality of family responsibility sharing with men. Because of the above reasons and because the Treaty of Maastricht under articles 2, 3(2), 141, 141(3) and 251, not only must the European Institute of Gender Equality be established but also the Roadmap For Equality Between Men and Women as well. The Roadmap for Equality between Men and Women is a work programme that present actions and initiatives that are planned to be taken from the year 2006 to 2010. It was published 7 by the European Commission and the document outlining the plans and programmes had been distributed to the European Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. This means that the programme is an obligation of the whole European Commission as well as all the member States. It is a blueprint or a detailed plan of action that behooves upon everyone in EU to follow and to ensure that it bears fruition. This programme plans 21 specific activities to be drawn over the next 5 years. Its first plan, and which is the most important because when this is resolved everyting else follows, is to increase awareness in gender inequality. To understand gender inequality, we must understand Patriarchy, which we had previously discussed, and gender stereotyping because these are the roots of gender inequality. According to Belinda Pyke, the EC's director for Equality between men and women, Action Against Discrimination and Civil Society, to combat gender inequality, we have to combat first gender stereotyping. Each must be made aware that gender stereotyping forces each one of us to behave and to make choices that are not in line with our own talents, capabilities and potentials; that gender stereotyping predetermines and conditions each to accept "roles, tasks and identities which may not let them realise their own potential, their own aspirations and ambitions" (Pyke Speech 2008, p.2). It is therefore a trapping device which limits an individual's choices in life and women are usually the victims of gender stereotyping because since childhood, family pressures, the media and the school force them to to enter into areas of specialisation and career that are not apt for their personalities and 8 capacities such as education, nursing, secretarial, mass communications and social work. Thus women end up in positions that carry lesser responsibilities and that are supportive rather than a position of leadership and dominance. Again because for centuries, women had been taught by Patriarchy that such positions are reserved only for men and that women are the weak and subservient species, women are stuck to this gender stereotypes. Gender stereotyping spills on into the home too because when for whatever reason the head of the family or the mother is not around to take care of the family, the older girl in the family has to take care of her siblings. Thus she is oftentimes forced to incur absences from school by virtue of her performance as ersatz mother. When she is a wife and mother, there is unfair sharing of responsibilities with the husband as she has to do the household chores and worse, most of the time she will be forced to sacrifice her own career to take full time responsibilities in child rearing. The effect of this situation is that women only contribute a measly part in the national economy which is really a waste of resources as women may really have so much potential in that aspect. Thus, it is the objective of the Roadmap to erase this inequality and the first step is to brainwash women by breaking this gender stereotyping. This can be done through educating and inculcating the minds of young girls that they have the capacity to enter into technical and scientific fields; that such subjects are also for women and that they are not a queer lot who are a 'little bit special', when they enter the realm of such fields of specialisation. 9 Likewise, boys should also be encouraged to take up 'feminine courses' such as nursing, education, food technology and the likes. The original founders and practitioners of these fields never earmarked these for women. It was Patriarchy who assigned these as exclusively for women and it is for the best interests for everybody to send Patriarchy to the dustbin of history. The provisions of the Roadmap should now rule and if EU has to advance economically and socially EU should have a fresh start and what a new beginning by kicking out all remnants of Patriarchy and by extricating out gender stereotypes from our society and thus bring on gender equality and justice for everybody . EU might find itself at the top of the heap, even besting USA in the near future. However, an added difficulty is that these fields lead to jobs that are considered relatively lower-paying and boys might find them not worth their efforts. But then the Roadmap for gender equality is really determined to drive the gender equality agenda forward and it must start with the breaking down of both gender stereotyping and Patriarchy. To implement this, the Roadmap has already "launched an awareness-raising campaign in companies to combat gender stereotypes and to better understand the economic benefits that this will bring" (Pyke Speech 2008, p.5). Another tough stereotyping that the Roadmap has to resolve is the common occurrence of women going on leave from their jobs or even working part-time in order to rear children or to take care of sick parents or grandparents. To resolve this, the Roadmap goes to each member-State and inquire if they have laws or they have a system that make this problem a non-issue. 10 This is so because in the Barcelona European Council of 2002, where the EU declared that EU's economic growth was disappointingly low compared to USA and that the gap between American GDP per capita and the EU GDP 'per capita is at its highest level since early 1960's (Center For European Reform 2002). Earlier, the Lisbon Treaty of 2000 tried to give solution to the lackadaisical economic performance of EU by making all the member-States agree to increase EU's GDP by more or less 40% and to create 20 million new jobs. In the Barcelona Council, President Romano Prodi, expressing dissatisfaction with the outcome of the Lisbon Treaty, declared that if EU must make headway and fulfill its objectives as enunciated in the Lisbon Treaty, the respectiive member-Sates must strive to implement the key decisions and remove barriers to achieving a high economic growth (Centre for European Reform 2002). Implied, therefore,was the aim to fulfill the goal of the Lisbon Treaty with more and better jobs and "to combat horizontal and vertical segregation" (Centre for European Reform 2002). In the Barcelona Council, it was agreed that more efforts should be expended to increase and maximise women's employment for the good of the economy and also for the women themselves, as a way to give them more economic independence as well as liberation from the tight clutches of their husbands. In the end, it most likely will resolve EU's employment problems by putting more women to more key jobs that suit their qualifications. The decision of putting the onus of resolving the economic slowdown in the shoulders of the member-States themselves have pressured them to find ways of generating more jobs 11 specially for the women sector, which, they themselves agreed are largely untapped and some claim, wasted resources. This is but a natural outcome of this gender stereotyping. The good thing about the direct involvement of the member-States in fulfilling the directives of the Roadmap and the close interaction between the EU and such member-Sates is that there is a reinforcing of the partnership between EU and the member-States. The member-States thus feel that they are an integral part of the EU and that they rightfully belong to EU in toto and not merely in name. The fact that both EU and the member-States strive strenuously for one goal, fortifies the bond between them. The Roadmap doesn't merely stop at encouraging the participation of women in employment but also the participation of women in decision-making. In 2007, the Commission as part of the Roadmap did a report on women and men in decision-making and came up with an appalling finding that there is an unbalanced "participation between men and women in decision-making positions in the majority of our member-States" (Pyke Speech 2008, p.6). On account of this, the Roadmap published that "a community network of women in economic and political decision making will soon be created" (Pyke Speech 2008, p.7). The Roadmap further precisely delineated three ways to counter and battle the problems of gender stereotyping, the decreased participation of women both in the labour market and in society in general. This 3-pronged solution which member-States must note down consists of": "1. Increased awareness of the pernicious existence and impact of stereotypes; 2. Greater awareness and knowledge of the way in which we convey them.to our children, our pupils, our employees, our partners, in our daily life; 12 3. And a common understanding that it is only through the elimination of gender stereotypes that we will make more possible our path towards gender equality and towards a more just society for current and future generations" (Pyke Speech 2008, p.7). The Roadmap's 6 Priority Areas of Action for Gender Equality Besides elimination of gender stereotypes, there are 5 other priority areas for EU action on gender equality. We choose to delve deeply into elimination of gender stereotypes because it is at the heart of all the other problems and removal of it, makes easy the resolution of all the other priority areas. The following are listed by the Roadmap as the priority areas of action for gender equality: "1. Achieving economic independence for women and men. 2. Enhancing reconciliation of work, private and family life. 3. Promoting equal participation of women and men in science and technology. 4. Eradicating gender-based violence and trafficking. 5. Promoting gender equality outside the European community. 6. Elimination of gender stereotypes. Gender Equality in Spain EU's Roadmap to Gender Equality found strong support in Spain as Spanish feminists 13 moved heaven and earth to push legislations that would establish gender equality between men and women. As Spanish feminists were the moving force behind so many organisations working for the equality of women such as the Party for European Socialists (PES), the European Women's Lobby (EWL), the Progressive Women's Foundation based in Madrid and the European Women's Lawyers Association (EWLA). Indeed, Spanish women were fighting in all fronts to erase gender inequality in EU particularly in Spain. The first major salvo released by Spanish activists was exploded during the 7th PES Women (Party for European Socialists) held in Porto on December 7-8, 2006. In that gathering, Maribel Montano, PSOE's (the Spanish Socialist Party)National Secretary for Equality on the Federal Executive Committee and Soledad Murillo, the Spanish government's Secretary of State for Equality presented before the audience the new draft legislation on violence against women that was enacted on November 30, 2004. This legislation was dubbed as The integral Law Against Gender Violence. It is expected that Spain would be a natural bedrock for movements supportive of the EU Roadmap for gender equality because Spanish feminists had been silenced for so many centuries and like a dormant volcano that has yet to explode, when it does explode, the effect will be phenomenal. Spanish feminists were silent when Britain's Mary Wollstonecraft wrote the Vindication of the Rights of Women in 1792 and opened all floodgates to women reforms and liberation that made her "a patron saint of feminism" (Duckworth 2005, p.1). Spanish activists 14 were nowhere when Britain's Emily Davison protested women's subjugation and oppression by hurling herself under the King's horse during the Epson derby and immolated her life in the process (Taylor 2001, p.23). They even cannot find their voices when Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan and all those American suffragettes in the early 1960's were burning their bras in objection to gender inequality. But Spanish feminists proved they are late bloomers and when they strike, they really strike with all their might. And they are swarming in all organisations that fight hard for women equality. They're active everywhere most conspicuously in the Spanish government. Although they still have to elect a woman prime minister, yet already ensconced in the government are 8 cabinet women, comprising 50% of the total number of cabinet ministers. In Congress, there are 127 congresswomen sitting together with 223 congressmen. In the Senate, there are 65 lady senators in the 259-seat Senate and out of the total 54 Spanish members of the European parliament, there are 18 lady Spanish parliamentarians. (2004 Country Report). This trounces the record of Norway in 1985, where women wrested 47% of cabinet positions, 34% of parliamentary seats and 31% of local council seats. The difference was that Gro Harlem Brundtland was reelected as lady prime minister. Because of the Spanish women's vigilance and united movement, the Integral Law Against Gender Violence was enacted on November 30, 2004 which was enforced only last 2005. This domestic violence law was an offshoot of women's attempts to stem the rising violence against women in Spain mainly by their spouses or their live-in partners. It was 15 reported that as of the end of 2004, 72 women were slaughtered, abject victims of domestic violence while all that women can do is to file 52,899 complaints against their spouses for corporal violence. This gender violence is analysed as a means perpetrated by men to keep women eternally subordinated. The Spanish activists were buoyed by EU's article 116 of the Treaty of Maastricht which considers violence against women as an extreme expression of inequality, which must be addressed in all European Union policies" (Faber 2005). Despite the opposition of the ruling Popular Party, the associations of Spanish women were victorious when the Integral Law Against Gender Violence was finally enacted into a law. This law specifically enjoins respect for the basic rights and freedoms of women and acceptance of the equality between men and women. It also prohibits the media to exploit women by presenting them as sex objects and to foster and monitor every form of gender violence and when it happens, trained healthcare personnel would be there to lend succor to the victims. What is unique with this law is it enumerates the rights of victims of gender violence, which are labour rights, social security rights, economic support measures, civil rights and right to full social acceptance and specialised legal aid to victims. To give teeth to the new legislation, penalties and judicial measures were provided including a clause providing for the psychological treatment of the aggressors (Mendez 2003). One reason why gender equality laws had been successfully entrenched in Spanish society was that EU had vehemently pressured Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to honor 16 the Roadmap for gender equality. This communication between EU and the prime minister as to the giving of importance to the Roadmap is a sign of reinforced partnership of EU with a member State such as Spain. Because of the Roadmap, Zapatero was encouraged to follow the EU line of fighting "against gender violence and the creation of an integral law in in favor of the equal status of men and women and against any form of discrimination" (Presidencia del Gobierno 2008). He was evidently inspired by the Roadmap when he divulged his plans of implementing "employment promotion measures among women and young people and reduction of the temporal employment rates by 25%" as well as "guaranteeing salary equality for men and women". He further displayed his devotion to EU's Roadmap cause by announcing that he will submit to the Spanish Parliament"an integral equality law so as to prevent those inequalities that are caused by sexual orientation differences" (Presidencia del Gobierno 2008). The aim of this law is to promote the equality between women and men and to deter gender violence. He further swore he would prevent discrimination against women via inequality in payment of salaries and he will also bring employment to 45 to 64 year old women and will "promote measures to enhance family shared responsibilities" (Presidencia del Gobierno 2008). Spain's Gender Equality Law Spain has stamped its mark in Europe as a tireless fighter for the eradication of violence against women. In 2006 alone, it contributed 3 million euros to the UN Trust Fund To End 17 Violence Against Women (Fraerman 2007). It has built a reputation as pro-gender equality. In fact, in the year 2007, it has succesfully passed laws on sexual harassment specially in the workplace as well as laws on anti-discrimination. Besides the enforcement of gender equality in employment, it has also enacted a law expanding maternity leave. To show to everyone that Spain is undoubtedly a pro-gender equality nation, it legalised on June 30, 2005, by a vote of 187 to 147, the Gay Marriage Law that allows legalised homosexual and lesbian marriage in Catholic Spain (Fraerman 2005). It is now the third country in the world after Netherlands and Belgium to sanction and permit gays to legalise their union and to adopt children of their own. The rationale behind this enactment is freedom and equality; the eradication of discrimination and the total elimination of stereotypes. It should also allow homosexuals to lead normal and decent lives and allow them to get out of their closets without reprehension and face the world without fear and be more productive to society, lending their talents and abilities to further strengthen Spanish economy With this law, Spain has to close that era during General Francisco Franco's reign where gays were brutalised by the police or thrown into jails or psychiatric hospitals. With this, Spain displays its serious support for the EU's Roadmap cause of gender equality. A similar law that furthers gender equality was the one enacted in November 2006, where Congress approved an enactment that permits "people who have been diagnosed with gender-identity disorder to legally change their gender without the need for surgery" (Instituto Opina, 18 2007). To crown all these legal developments, the Spanish Parliament enacted Spain's Gender Equality law on March 15, 2007, despite the usual opposition of the Right-Wing Popular Party which brought the issue of its constitutionality to the Spanish Supreme Court of Justice, where its appeal got bludgeoned again. Spanish feminists and activists were rejoicing with this victory which they consider the crowning glory to all their efforts to achieve gender equality in Spain. Not only are women political candidates given the same chances of being elected in any Spanish political race than men but also it gives women the same access to public employment than men as well as same access to social security benefits including special security benefits for mothers below the age of 21. As to the subject of paternity leaves, the new law provides for the new fathers a total of 13 days paternity leave. This is expected to baloon to 4 months by the year 2013. To ensure labour equality, corporations that employ more than 250 employees are required to negotiate with their employees equality plans. The same thing must be followed by the Board of Directors of companies with more than 250 employees as regards its composition. Thus a plan is set to making the composition of the Board at least 40% female within 8 years. Of course this did not sit well with the machos and the Popular Party legislators who believe there's nothing to change as women are already on an equal footing with men already. The general Popular Party stand to the law is that the new Gender Equality law is utterly absurd because it foments social exclusion. 19 But to Enriqueta Chicano, who as president of the Progressive Women's Foundation fought hard for the bill, she commented that this new law "rounds out a series of previously adopted measures, such as the law on gender violence and modifies in practice 23 laws that are applicable in different spheres. Conclusion Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is on the right track to entrancing more women to join the labour employment . The women sector is a potent force that can make or break a nation. Besides comprising practically one half of the population, women had proved that they are in no way intellectually or in all other aspects inferior to men. Today, the adage is whatever a man can do, a woman can do better. Even in USA, women are into positions that several decades ago were unimaginably impossible to be lorded over by women. Because USA have successfully been able to utilise to the full the potentials of women's resources, it had been able to further its economy by leaps and bounds. But the first step is naturally the removal of gender stereotypes and then gender equality will not be far behind. The EU's Roadmap can rightfully claim success in view of the Spanish experience because what the Spaniards did was in exact pursuance of the blueprint laid down by the Roadmap For Equality Between Men and Women. The Spanish success in laying out the foundation for gender equality in Spain is enough proof that the Roadmap represents the Commission's commitment to drive the gender equality agenda forward as well as to reinforce the partnership of the EU with its member States. 20 REFERENCES Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor 2004, 'Country report on human rights in Spain.' http://www.states.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41709.htm. Centre for European Reform 2002, 'Barcelona European Council'. http://www.er.org.uk/pdf/policybrief_barcelona.pdf. Council of Europe , 'Gender mainstreaming. www.coe.int/T/E/Human_Rights/Equality/02_Gender_mainstreaming/-45k. Drislane, R & Parkinson,G 2005, Online Dictionary of the Social Sciences. ICAAP. Duckworth, A 2005, 'Mary Wollstonecraft'. Dictionary of Literal Biography. Thomson Gale Corporation, New York. Europa 2007, 'Treaty of Lisbon', europa.eu//lisbon_treaty/index_en.htm_19k. 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Mendez, C 2003, ' The Spanish legislation on violence against women:Challenges and facts. www.un.org/.../vaw_legislation_2008/presentation/EGMG PLVAW%20POWERPOINT%20.ppt. 21 Pollitt, K 2001, 'Subject to debate: sense and dissents on women, politics and culture. www.thenation.com/directory/bios/katha_pollitt Presidencia del Gobierno 2008, 'Zapatero wants to turn Spain into a prosperous, decent Country', http://www.la cloa.ed/IDIOMAS/9/ActualidadHome/0804DiscursInvest.htm. Pyke Speech 2008, 'Elimination of gender stereotypes:mission (im)possible', http://www.uem.gov.si/fileadmin/pageuploads/PEUPykeSpeech.pdf. Scadplus 2007, 'European institute for gender equality. http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/cha/c10938.htm Taylor, D 2001, 'Modern world hoistory for OCR specification. Heinemann Publication: London. Treaty of Maastricht 1993, 'The treaty establishing the European community'. Consolidated version of the treaty establishing the European community. 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